B.C. NDP and Green party collaboration leads to top sustainability honour

A Canadian environmental award has been won by two British Columbia politicians from different political parties.

B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman and Green Party of B.C. Leader Andrew Weaver have been honoured at the Clean50 awards.

The two were named in the public sector category for their contributions over the past two years to advance sustainability by building the CleanBC plan to fight climate change.

Award organizers say in a statement that a total of 50 sustainability leaders from across Canada have been selected from a field of more than 700 nominees for their innovation in achieving measurable success against climate change.

Weaver says he and his team have worked with Heyman to develop the program, calling it a “hallmark” of the minority NDP government, which relies on the three Green party members of the legislature to maintain a majority over the Opposition Liberals.

The Clean50 awards were founded in 2011 by Toronto-based Delta Management Group and past honourees include former premiers Kathleen Wynne of Ontario, Phillippe Couillard of Quebec and Rachel Notley of Alberta.

Heyman says British Columbians expect leaders across sectors to act on climate change and be accountable for results.

“The collaboration with Dr. Weaver, his team and my colleagues across government has resulted in a comprehensive plan with clear targets to reduce emissions while building a strong economy with healthier communities and creating new opportunities for people,” Heyman says in a statement.

A statement on the CleanBC website says the program aims to take significant action to reduce carbon pollution, use clean energy to power the B.C. economy and create opportunities across the province.

Other top honourees in the award categories include Kai Chan, a professor with the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of B.C., for his work on a section of a United Nations document on biodiversity and ecosystem services.